But, I don’t get people who don’t want to conserve the earth – from curbing pollution to using less to preserving species. Or who make environmentalism a political issue. Do they really want to explain to their children or grandchildren why they let the earth be polluted? Why they can’t swim in the streams, rivers, lakes or oceans? Why water is scarce? Or why elephants, gorillas, and countless other species have disappeared and only found in zoos?

It is so easy to consume less, use reusable bags, etc., why not?

Apologies to all, this edition is much delayed. Finally though, here is the the "Best of the Best of 2007" as selected by Carnival of the Liberals own participants and myself. All the submissions for this edition can be found on the Carnival …

I don’t think we should ignore that those lobbyists and researchers are funded by energy companies, but I don’t think that should automatically discount them, either. If they want to do the research they need money, and they should take it when they can, as long as they’re doing legit work. I think we should examine the method and results, not the motives of the researcher. If the method is bad, throw out the results, otherwise it deserves a look.

I also don’t think everyone will be “asked to buy an expensive Prius or have nothing at all.” When the market pushes automakers, they’ll cave, as they’ve already started to do. The American companies have already started to break under the pressure producing more hybrids (which are just a band-aid, as far as I’m concerned) and tiny things like the Aveo and pushing E85. They’ve got a long way to go, and I’m sure they’ll get there. Hopefully they’ll hop on the biodiesel train. And hopefully one day soon we’ll be able to run cars on switchgrass (I’m kind of excited about that one). Whatever happened to the idea of running cars on garbage like in Back to the Future?

Lastly, while you consider economic concerns to be a “conservative scare tactic”, I consider predictions of a 6 ft. rise in ocean levels in the next 30 years or of superactive hurricane seasons to be a “scare tactic” as well. Maybe fear isn’t the way to go.

Charles’s last blog post..Rule #5: Don’t Do Dumb Stuff

Have a look at this 4 part video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOLkze-9GcI

Don’t get me wrong, I do think that we are messing up our planet and humanity has to change drastically to keep this little planet habitable in the future, but the problem is not global warming, but rather pollution!

Nico’s last blog post..Free solar heating

I should clarify that when I refer to skeptics I meant those in the post I linked to. Public figures, politicians, scientists, etc that create doubt about climate crisis…not the avergae Joe who has a hard time believing.

We cannot ignore the fact that skeptics are 95% of the time on the payroll of big oil or they work for a lobbyist firm hired to create doubt. The issue is not so much that their studies are overlooked or discarded by peer review journals, as it is that they don’t even bother with that step as their true goal is merely to divide the public and create dissent. The “science” is a mute point for them. When this goes on…I really do feel that they cannot be trusted.

I have no blinders on…I have read, watched etc, most of the countering evidence and it does not hold up in any sense of the word. People will not be asked to buy an expensive Prius or have nothing at all. Auto makers will be forced to develop the same technology for prices comparable to the current market or another manufacturer will. We have no worries as far as the economy is concerned. That is another conservative scare tactic. And I am not buying into their hysteria.

“How can that be?” you ask. “How can you ignore the evidence that the Earth is warming and we are at fault?” Well, first, it’s pretty obvious that the Earth is warming. You’d have to be pretty gutsy (or hammered) to disagree. The key for me is the cause.

If you’re interested in my thoughts, check these out: Why Global Warming Would Be Good For You and Take Your Blinders Off.

And, despite the fact that I disagree about what is causing the warming, my wife and I read your blog constantly. Just because a person doesn’t believe that global warming and climate change are caused by humans doesn’t mean they’re oblivious to pollution and destruction. Conservation, green living, biofuel, and “creation care” is a good idea, and would be even if the earth were getting cooler.

Charles’s last blog post..Rule #5: Don’t Do Dumb Stuff

I think that there’s quite an unfortunate correlation between people claiming to speak for God and people messing things up.

I am a Christian and rather conservative on many social issues, but when it come to the environment I think we need stricter standards. To Ann Coulter’s comment I say READ GENESIS! God gave us the Earth and it’s creatures so we could be their guardians. We are to be good stewards of all of God’s blessings and that doesn’t involve “rape” or irresponsible misuse of those resources.

mama k’s last blog post..Homemade Grahams